Welcome to the July edition of the FTTSA newsflash! We bring you exciting news about our latest partnerships.

Promoting responsible travel through partnerships
At any given time, Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) works closely with various donors and partners that provide both the material support and the knowledge base vital to the success of FTTSA's work. In the past few months we have established relations with a number of new partners and renewed our association with others.

FTTSA is proud to announce its partnership with the Safari and Tourism Insurance Brokers (SATIB). SATIB are excellent Risk Management Consultants and Insurance Brokers to the Tourism, Hospitality and Wildlife Industries throughout southern Africa .

In keeping with SATIB's commitment to sound corporate governance principles, SATIB regards social responsibility as a means of “giving back” to the markets, environments and societies in which it operates. This commitment is extended, wherever possible, to include business partners and suppliers such as FTTSA.

SATIB have partly sponsored the insurance premiums for FTTSA for 2008 and again for the 2009 period. SATIB is a natural partner for FTTSA given their existing Corporate Social Responsibility programmes. To find out more about SATIB in southern Africa , please visit : SATIB .

TEP and FTTSA team up to certify 10 new tourism businesses
The Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) in its role as development partner to small and medium tourism businesses in South Africa will generously supports 10 SMMEs for FTTSA certification. TEP have identified a few businesses within its client database to be nominated for FTTSA certification. FTTSA may also refer potential clients interested in certification to TEP for support. Criteria for registration and membership with TEP can be found on the TEP website . Parties interested in FTTSA certification and TEP's financial assistance should please contact the FTTSA Marketing Manager, Lolla Meyer, at lolla@fairtourismsa.org.za . FTTSA looks forward to building a strong partnership with TEP.

Fair Trade Travel project kicks off in Switzerland
On Tuesday 7 July 2009 FTTSA co-hosted a workshop in Basel , Switzerland to kick off a new project to pilot the certification of package travel to South Africa . The purpose of the Basel workshop was to brief stakeholders about the project, create synergies with ongoing programmes to promote Swiss tourism to South Africa and identify tour operators to participate in the pilot project.

This project follows a three year feasibility study conducted by the international Fairtrade Labelling Organization (FLO) to determine the extent to which standard Fairtrade/FLO elements can be applied to the international trade in tourism services. While the current FLO mandate does not extend to tourism, FLO has formally endorsed the FTTSA-led pilot project which will result in draft trade standards and auditing procedures for certifying package travel to South Africa .  The project will focus initially on the Swiss and German markets and will be extended to additional source markets depending on results achieved. For more information on the Fair Trade Travel please visit FTTSA news.

FTTSA attend 2009 ATLAS Africa Conference
On 1-3 July 2009 FTTSA Interim Network Coordinator, Sarah Van Mill, attended the Atlas Africa conference, held in Gaborone in Botswana . The conference theme was “Tourism for Development - Environmental Sustainability, Poverty Reduction and Empowering Communities”. The conference was aimed at discussing the relationship between tourism and development in African context. It had a focus especially on the roles and potential of tourism for development, sustainability in tourism and relations between tourism, environment and communities. FTTSA had an opportunity to raise awareness about the Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa initiative and about FTTSA.

New Faces at FTTSA!
FTTSA welcomes Julia Buhlman and Blake and Britta Durtsche!

Julia is from Germany and is currently studying International Tourism Management at Karlshochschule International University . By working for FTTSA as a Marketing Intern for three months, she hopes to gain valuable experience in the field of sustainable tourism development. Additionally, she wants to support the organisation to make South Africa a better place for locals as well as tourists.

Blake and Britta Durtsche join FTTSA for a four-week voluntary consulting engagement organised through the Kellogg Corps program. Their project work focuses on FTTSA's monitoring and evaluation program, marketing and case study development. Blake recently graduated from Kellogg with a focus in social enterprise and organisational management. Britta graduated from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota with degrees in marketing and entrepreneurship.

Kellogg Corps is a student-run club at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston , Illinois , USA . The programme pairs recently graduated MBA students with international NGOs for three-to-six week consulting projects. For more information on the Kellogg Corps program visit Kellogg School of Management .

Soweto Certificate Awards Ceremony a Success
On 10 July 2009, 13 tourist guides from Soweto were recognised for their achievements in completing their NQF2 tourist guide training. This training is part of the FTTSA-facilitated project, “Accredited tourist guide training for local youth”, funded by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund.

The majority of the learners were ex-combatants from uMkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC during apartheid and a few were from Lebo's Soweto Backpackers, an FTTSA-certified establishment.

The ceremony took place at the Soweto Hotel at Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto and the guest list included representatives from the City of Johannesburg , Tourism Empowerment Council of South Africa , Johannesburg Tourism Company, Gauteng Guides Association and the Department of Tourism.

FTTSA would like to thank the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) for contributing funds towards skills development for the historically disadvantaged communities and the Soweto Hotel for offering us the use of their facilities for free and discounted catering. To view the accredited tourists guides click here .

Department of Tourism gears up to host 2010 visitors
South African government is increasing its investment in the tourism industry as it gears up to host the thousands of soccer fans who will be arriving in the country for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. "As we prepare to host the first ever African World Cup and the biggest sporting spectacular in the world, we are witnessing not only huge public sector investment, but also massive new investment by the tourism industry itself," said Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

Delivering his Budget Vote in Parliament on 18 June 2009, he said the department had allocated more than R936 million of the Expanded Public Works Allocation for 2009-2012 to further develop the tourism sector. "Special emphasis will be placed on the development of rural tourism. This will create job opportunities and develop skills that will increase the employability of the participants in the programme," said the minister.

Transactions worth more than R4 billion have been facilitated since its inception in 2000. Furthermore, more than 5 500 enterprises have been assisted. Mr. van Schalkwyk said the department would be finalising a toolkit to assist local government with tourism development to ensure a more equitable geographic spread of the benefits of tourism. To find out more information about the Minister's budget speech click here.

National Events

40 th SATSA National Conference, Protea President Hotel, Cape Town , 21- 22 August 2009
The SATSA conference will be held for the 40 th time with the theme  “ SATSA means Business: are you ready for take off”. The conference will be addressing a wide variety of issues that affect tourism, and will have a variety of quality speakers lined up, especially people who have a sound personal knowledge of the tourism industry. There will also be an opportunity to again information on all the great benefits for being a SATSA member. There is a great opportunity to showcase your company, and get your name up in lights by offering assistance in the form of prizes, speaker gifts, pillow gifts, or services such as transport or accommodation. For more information about this conference visit, SATSA national conference .

National Tourism Careers Expo 2009, Durban Exhibition Centre, 17-19 September 2009
The National Tourism Expo is a platform for learners, students and unemployed youth to learn how to pursue a career in tourism. This Expo is presented by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs, previously known as the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), the KwaZulu Natal Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism and the Tourism, Hospitality, Sport Education and Training Authority. For more information please contact Zelma on +27(0) 11 549 8300 or email ntce@tepg.co.za.

300 Africa City Mayors “Indaba”, Gallagher Convention Center, Johannesburg, 7-9 of October 2009
The 300 Mayors conference will host approximately 2000 participants from across Africa, as cities and towns in Africa prepare to host the globe during the 2010 World Cup. This will highlight strategic management measures in dressing up Africa and leaving a great mark as we celebrate the Africa Cities 2010 Legacy. Great opportunities exist for organisations/companies to exhibit and present tailor made solutions for municipalities across Africa .

The conference of mayors will highlight and honour mayors and their governments for developing programmes that enhance the quality of life in urban areas. For more information contact Michael Ndinisa, Director: Marketing & Business Development on michaeln@mncapital.co.za or mndinisa@300mayors.com .

Destinations Expo 2009, Cape Town International Convention Centre, 22-25 October 2009
Destinations Expo is the perfect platform to market your destination, accommodation, recreation, holiday and travel products to the local traveler. Destinations Expo welcomes exhibitors from all nine provinces in South Africa as well as from neighboring countries, world destinations and surrounding Indian Ocean islands.

Destinations 2009 is a valuable marketing vehicle for businesses. The show offers businesses the opportunity to meet travelers and holiday makers face-to-face, drive sales, build brand awareness and talk to the market. The show is marketed to consumers, business travelers and the industry in general. 

Space is limited, so you are encouraged to book your space soonest. For more information, please contact Chris or Elmarie at +27 (0) 21 855 4750 or visit Destination Expo.

Hospitality Investment Conference Africa (HICA), Sandton, Johannesburg , 04-06 November 2009
HICA provides an ideal platform for members of the hospitality industry to discuss current global trends and showcase what the African continent has on offer for multinationals. The focus of this year's conference will be on how responsible tourism can help create better areas for people to live in and visit. With its close ties to sustainable and green tourism, responsible tourism focuses on generating greater economic benefits for local people and enhancing host communities while minimising the negative economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism. Click here for more information about the HICA conference.

Announcements

Africa SMME awards competition
The 2009 Africa SMME Awards ceremony aims to recognise the success and vitality of the Africa SMME sector. This is targeted at owners/managers of an established small, medium or micro enterprise (SMME) that is older than two years and contributes positively to the image of business in Africa . This unique annual awards program has been established specifically to acknowledge, encourage and celebrate excellence amongst African SMMEs by giving them the opportunity to gain valuable exposure and well-deserved recognition for their global expansion ambitions. Winners will get benefits which will include very significant international exposure, extensive media coverage, and a chance for your company to showcase itself to Africa and the rest of the world. The closing date for entries is 31 July 2009. For more information please contact Dina Potgieter, Executive Manager at Africa growth Institute on +27 (0) 21 914 6778.

Entries now open for the 2009 Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism
The Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards were initiated to coincide with the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in South Africa in 2002. The awards recognise tourism and hospitality businesses that make a real, measurable and sustained contribution to Responsible Tourism. The Imvelo Awards have had a huge impact on tourism in South Africa by creating significant awareness of environmental management issues in the industry. The award categories are: Best Social Involvement Programme, Best Practice – Economic Impact, Best Overall Environmental Management System, Best Single Resource Management Programme and Chairman's Award. The deadline for entries is by 14 August 2009. To make your nomination please visit Imvelo Awards.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launches photo contest in Africa
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with Olympus Corporation and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Foundation, recently launched an Africa-based, eco-themed photo contest in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . The contest titled Picture This : Caring for the Earth , aims to profile ordinary people working to reduce the effects of climate change for people residing in Africa .

Entries - either single photos or photo essays - must highlight stories that show the people of Africa as stewards of their natural environment. Special attention will be given to photos that take into account the role that women play in protecting their environment. The deadline for entries is 31 August 2009. For more information here are the contact details in Tokyo : Toshiya Nishigori, Tel.: +1 81-3-5467-4875 or please email oshiya.nishigori@undp.org. The contact person in South Africa , is Maureen Mundea. Please contact her on+ 27(0) 11 6035513 or email maureen.mundea@undp.org. In New York , the UNDP Newsroom's number is +1 212-906-5382 or email undp-newsroom@undp.org .   

The Hospitality and Investment Conference (HICA) 2009 awards
The 2009 HICA awards recognise and reward companies and individuals who have made an extraordinary contribution to enhancing the profile of the hospitality industry in Southern Africa through promoting growth, investment, innovation and excellence, across all tourism sectors. The HICA awards will be presented to industry leaders at the third annual Hospitality Investment Conference Africa ( HICA ). “The Awards are important because they foster a sense of unity towards realising a shared vision of growth and innovation within the Southern African hospitality industry,” said Mmatšatši Marobe, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa which is hosting the event. The closing date for nominations is 31 August 2009. To make your nomination, please visit HICA.

Did you know?
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate 13.1% of total exports (ZAR130.8 bn or US$14.3 bn) in 2009, growing (nominal terms) to ZAR276.2 bn or US$30.7 bn (12.7% of total) in 2019. For more information visit WTTC .

In 2008 Fairtrade sales world-wide valued at €2.9 billion as compared to € 2.4 billion in 2007 (22% increase). For more information please visit www.fairtrade.net